GPU advice please!

Hi guys,

I'm new to this website and have read a few of the threads and there very helpfull people here, I just hope that I can get some help and advice.

I have an Alienware m7700 notebook and want to upgrade my GPU, I've been told I can up grade to the GeForce GO 7900GTX but only via Alienware, this causes somewhat of a problem for me as Alienware only offer the 7900GTX with 256MB but I have seen other Notbook suppliers such as Hypersonic, Sager and Dell all offer the 7900GTX with 512MB ram (which is what I would like). Does anyone know where and if it's possible to buy the GPU with the larger ram?

The other option is that I could upgrade to the Quadro FX2500m as that has 512MB ram but I have read in a thread here that it struggles with gaming and even though I'm an Architect and it would help with my CAD programs, I do love my gaming especially CoD2!

I have also read that it may be possible to get the Quadro FX 2500m bios re-reflashed to a 7900GTX bios? Is this true and if so how would it be done?

I hope that some one can help a fellow notebook user out.

 

I doubt the FX2500M can be flashed to a Go7900GTX, you would probably ruin your card in the process.

May I ask why you need to upgrade? The Go7800GTX is an incredible card.

If you wait long enough, Alienware should offer the Go7900GTX 512MB. It's not really going to be a big jump in performance; more of a 'well, I have a frame rate boost here . . .and I can bump up this setting here. . " - nothing drastic.

 

Thanx for the advice Chaz.

I want to upgrade because I currently have a GO 6800 Ultra and I was advised by a friend that the GO 7900GTX is far better. Plus I'm a bit gizmo mad and like to have the best of everything! My other problem is not being patient, hence wanting it now istead of waiting for Alienware to release the version I want!

Do you know what the Quadro FX2500 is like for gaming?!

 

Only if the system mucked up during the flash, I have flashed the bios of many gfx cards, while more tricky to get the tools for notebooks as long as you get the right bios then there is no reason you should not be able to.

 

The FX2500 is essentially a Go7900GTX so it would work find for gaming. However, isn't it a bit expensive?

Sager Notebooks will do the upgrade for you to a 512MB Go7900GTX, cost is somewhere around $575 + shp. Not sure if this will void your Alienware warranty though, but you could simply keep the old Go6800U and swap it back in when/if you need to send it in for servicing.

Meaker, flashing BIOS is always risky. Flashing an expensive notebook's card to something that you aren't even sure works is not a risk I would care to take. I understand where you are coming from and I know it is possible.

 

The right tools are usually created by those who know what they are doing, if you can find a guide that tells you how to do it with your particular laptop then it would be reasonably safe. Ofc you DO need to be 100% its the right bios before trying, it should then be safe.

 

Thanx guys for the advice. What site, glad I found it!

I know where I will definately be coming for any advice involving my notebook in the future!